Technology Deal of the Week Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)—a cancer drug technology that targets cancer cells—were all the acquisition rage last week. First, Novartis (NYSE: NVS) announced it secured the rights to ADC technology from ImmunoGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMGN) for an undisclosed amount. Then, MedImmune, Inc. (NYSE: AZN) announced it would acquire a portfolio company of Auven Therapeutics, a private equity firm based in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. That deal, at $200 million, was for Spirogen, which develops ADCs. At the same time, MedImmune announced its $20 million collaboration with another Auven company, ADC Therapeutics, for work on two ADC programs that are now in preclinical development….Want to read more news? Click here for a free trial to The Health Care M&A Information Source and download the current issue today.

Charted Territory “Bolt-ons” were the byword back in January, as the big biotech and pharma companies swore off mega-mergers and instead said they were looking for more strategic deals. So why was it “news” last week when Roche (SIX: RO) CEO Severin Schwan told an analyst call that his company preferred bolt-on acquisitions to mega-mergers? Perhaps because his company is following that philosophy. Here’s a look at the 10 biggest deals announced so far this year in the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical sectors. See if you can find the mega-mergers.

10 Largest Biotech and Pharma Transactions in 2013, through October 18

Acquirer

Target

Price

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Life Technologies Corp.

$15.8 billion

Amgen, Inc.

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

$9.7 billion

Valeant Pharmaceuticals

Bausch + Lomb Holdings

$8.7 billion

Perrigo Company

Elan Corporation, plc

$8.6 billion

Actavis, Inc.

Warner Chilcott plc

$8.5 billion

Biogen Idec, Inc.

Rights to Tysabri

$3.3 billion

Mylan, Inc.

Agila Specialties Private Ltd.

$1.6 billion

CFR Pharmaceuticals SA

Adcock Ingram Holdings Ltd.

$1.3 billion

Bayer HealthCare LLC

Conceptus, Inc.

$1.1 billion

Aspen Group

Merck’s API business

$1.0 billion

Source: Health Care M&A News, October 2013 Want to read more news? Click here for a free trial to The Health Care M&A Information Source and download the current issue today

Services Deal of the Week Fortis Healthcare is selling Quality HealthCare Medical Services, the largest private clinic network in Hong Kong. The lucky buyer is Bupa, the London-based international healthcare group, which agreed to pay $355 million for Quality’s 50 medical centers, more than 500 affiliated clinics, and more than 20 dental and physiotherapy centers. JP Morgan and Religare Capital Markets acted as advisors to Fortis in this transaction, which is expected to close by the end of October…Want to read more news? Click here for a free trial to The Health Care M&A Information Source and download the current issue today.

In the Pipeline MedImmune, Inc., the biotech arm of AstraZeneca plc (NYSE: AZN), was busy this week. Besides its deals for two companies in Auven Therapeutics’ portfolio, its venture capital unit, MedImmune Ventures, led a Series A financing of $12.5 million for G1 Therapeutics, Inc. G1’s lead clinical candidate is a proprietary, potent and selective cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor for the potential treatment of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression. Co-investors include Hatteras Venture Partners and Mountain Group Capital…Want to read more news? Click here for a free trial to The Health Care M&A Information Source and download the current issue today.